Wrapping machine



June 20, 1939. w. B. BRONANDER 2,162,773

WRAPPING MACHINE' Filed April 24, 193e l4 sheets-she@ 1 June 20, 1939.

w. Bk. BRONANDER WRAPPING MACHINE 1-1: Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 195e BY m a' v ATTORNEYS June 20, 1939. w. B. BRONANDER WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 2o, 1939. w, B, BRoNANDER 162,773

WRAPPING AMMJHINE Filed April 24, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eggi- INVENTOR mental .im 20. 1839 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I WRAPPING MACHINE Wilhelm B. Bronander, Montclair, N. J.

Application April 24, 1936, Serial No. 76,158

2Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines.

More particularly stated, the invention" relates to machine for Wrapping packages in material, such as a coated regenerated cellulose lm commercially known under the trade mark Cellophane,

Ordinary adhesives or glues are ineiective and not satisfactory when used with such material since they do not adhere suiciently to the coating.

However, such wrappers can be effectively sealed by moistening the coated surfaces with a solvent for the coating and holding the folded parts in firm contact under pressure until the solvent has taken eiect. One suitable solvent for this purpose is ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which is a uid having substantially the consistency of water.

The Cellophane coating when moistened with the solvent becomes tacky or sticky and the interengaging parts are securely held and sealed.

This invention has for its salient objectto provide a wrapping machine with means for effectively applying the solvent to the wrapper in a simple and practical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character specied means so constructed and arranged that the proper amount of solvent can be applied and furthermore to so apply the solvent that the portions of the wrapper which are rendered adhesive will not engage the Wrapped article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described so constructed and arranged that the solvent can be applied continuously throughout the entire length of the wrapper or predetermined portions only of the wrapper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described with the solvent applying means so constructed and arranged that the folding or. wrapper engaging parts will be kept clean and smooth and will not be gummed up by the coating which has been rendered adhesive bythe solvent.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part `oi this application, and in which Fig. l is a top plan view somewhat diagram-- matic of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinally' sectional elevation taken substantially online 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the means for completing the folding and sealing of the package;

Fig. v4 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the moistening means, wrapper feeding means and a portion of the wrapper and article feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 4 and substantially on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on lineS-B of Fig. 5 showing the wrapper guiding means;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the wrapper after it has been severed from the wrapper strip or sheet;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation showing the cutting knives for severing the wrapper;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the rotary cutting knife;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional elevation showing a slightly modified form of moistenlng means adapted for intermittent operation;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the wrapper moistened and cut by the moistening and cutting means shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 'is a perspective view showing the wrapper illustrated in Fig. 11- after it has been partially folded around the article;

Fig. 13 is a View similar to Fig. l2 but showingthe wrapper moistened by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 after it has been partially folded around the article;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showing the sides of the wrapper folded upwardly against the sides of the 'article leaving a tubular extension beyond the end of the article;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Figs. 13 and 14 but showing the wrapped article after the projecting ends of the tubular extension have been tucked or folded inwardly against the ends of the article, the end aps being shown prior to the nal folding operation; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the wrapped article after it has vbeen completely wrapped.

The invention briefly described consists of a wrapping machine comprising means for feeding an article to be wrapped, means for feeding the wrapper strip across the path of movement of the article and for severing the strip into wrappers, means for moistening the entire lengths vof longitudinal margins or edge portions of the wrapper strip with a solvent adapted to render the coating on the wrapper adhesive, means for f folding'vth wrapper around the 'advance end of the article, for folding the sides of the wrapper against the sides ofthe article leaving a tubular extension projecting beyond the end of the article, and subsequently acting means for tucking the ends of the projecting portion or extension and folding the end flaps against the ends of the article. The solvent applied to the longitudinal vportions of the wrapper renders the sides of the wrapper adhesive and as they are folded against the sides of the article they will be effectively secured and sealed, heaters preferably being yprovided to evaporate the solvent. Means is also provided for applying solvent to the end tucks and to the outer end flap. This last named means consists of tuckers which are continuously operated in wiping contact with solvent conducting means and which transfer the solvent to the end tucks and to the outer end flap.

The solvent applying means for applying the solvent to the longitudinal marginal portions of the wrapper may operate to continuously apply this solvent or to applyl the solvent only to predetermined spaced longitudinal portions.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there. are three sets of operating mechanisms which engage and operate successively on the article and wrapper. Furthermore, there are three supports or tables along which the article and wrapper are fed. The first supporting table is shown at A, the second at B and the third at C. From the showing in Fig. 1 it will be noted that the support C is disposed at right angles to the supports A and B.

The articles X are fed from a hopper H along the support A by a plurality of successively acting transverse spaced feeding members or cross rods 36 carried by a pair of endless feeding members or chains 31 and 38.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the rods or feeding members 36 engage the rear edges of articles X and feed the articles through an opening 35 in the hopper H and along the support A.

The chains or endless feeding members 31 and 38 are supported at one end on sprockets 39 carried by a shaft 40 mounted in the frame 4i. At their other ends the chains are mounted on sprockets 42 and 43 carried by a shaft 44 which is also mounted in the frame 4|. The shaft 44 has secured thereto a gear 45 which meshes with a gear 46 mounted on a shaft 41 on the outer end of which is mounted a sprocket 48 driven by a chain 49 which is connected to a motor drive shaft or any other suitable source of power.

Paper feeding and moistening mechanism The paper for the Wrappers which in this instance is preferably coated waterproof "Cellophane paper is carried by a supply roll S mounted in brackets 50 secured to the frame of the machine. The strip of paper is led from the supply roll over a block 55 which carries the moistening means and from the block 55 passes downwardly between a pair of feeding rolls 56 and 51 which are grooved to receive the upper ends of spaced guide rods 58 and spaced guiding members 59 which are relatively located in the manner shown in Fig. 6. The guide members 58 are curved at their upper ends and extend over the upper periphery of the roller 56 and guide the strips downwardly between the guid` ing members 58 and 59. The members 59 are carried by and extend upwardly from a plate 60 vface of the strip of. wrapping material.

mounted on a supporting base or plate 6l. The members 58 are also mounted on and supported by the roller 56 and, as stated, are disposed in spaced relation to the members 59. It will be noted from Fig. 6 that the strip as it passes downwardly is longitudinally grooved which prevents any transverse wrinkles and maintains a continuous uninterrupted feed of the strip.

The feed rolls 56 and 51 are geared together, as shown at 65 and 66, the gear 66 being mounted on a shaft 61.l The shaft 61 is driven in the following manner: Gear 66 meshes with an idler gear 68 mounted on a spindle 69 and the gear 68 meshes with a gear 16 mounted on a shaft 1i. This shaft has also secured thereto a sprocket wheel12 which is driven by a. chain 13 from a sprocket 14 mounted on the shaft 41.

The shaft 1I has mounted thereon a rotary cutting knife 15 which 'coacts with a stationary blade or knife 16 and severs the strip at predetermined intervals to form the wrappers.

Before being severed the strip is fed downwardly through an opening or slot 11 formed in the table or support A and the do f iwardly extending portion is engaged by the article X which is being fed along the table by one of the transverse feeding members or rods 36. As the article engages the downwardly extending wrapper strip the wrapper will be folded around the advance end of the article and over the upper and lower surfaces thereof in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. After the strip has been so folded it is severed and the rear ends of the wrapper project rearwardly from the rear edge of the article.

The feed rolls, cutting mechanism and paper I The liquid solvent for the Cellophane coating is carried by a receptacle R which is closed at the top and is mounted, in inverted position, in a vertically extending support in the form of a conduit having a ange 8l at the upper end thereof and communicating at its lower end with a transverse conduit 82, these parts being formed in and carried by the block 55. The block 55 is adjustably mounted, being carried by a pair of trunnions 83 and 84 pivoted in .the frame members 18 and 19. A pair of arms 85 and 86 are formed on the block 55 and are provided with arcuate slots 81 through which extend bolts 88 which are threaded into the frame members 18 and 19. By adjusting the arms to the desired position the block 55 can be tilted to provide the desired 'contact between the solvent feeding wicks hereinafter described and the undersur- The block 55 which takes the form of a hollow shaft is provided with vertically extending bores 9i; which extend upwardly from the conduit '81' The block is also provided with downwardly extending threaded bores 9| disposed in alinement with the bores and into which are threaded sleeves 92 which are internally threaded to receive screws 93 having knurled heads 94 on the lower ends thereof. The upper ends of the screws 93 have formed thereon upv'ardly projecting pins 95 which engage the lower ends Aof wicks 96. By adjusting the screws 93 the wicks can be raised to the desired level.

It will be noted that the bores 90 and wicks 96 are disposed in position to engage the longitudinal marginal portions or large portions of the strip or mapping material, the strip being guided around the block between lugs 91.

In order to remove and permit the return of excess solvent liquid the block has formed there?- in adjacent to and in front of each bore 90 a return conduit 98 having a V-shaped mouth 90 at the upper end thereof. The mouth 99 communicates with a V-shaped circular groove which extends around the upper end of each wick 96. The conduits 98 at their lower ends communicate with the conduit 82. The receptacle R has secured to the lower end thereof a cap |0| having extending downwardly therefrom a conduit 02 which extends into a central bore formed in the support 80 and communicating with the conduit 82.

By tilting the block 55 and hollow shaft on the axis of the trunnions 03 and 84 the wicks'can be adjusted to properly engage the undersurface of the wrapper strip and a vertical adjustment of each wick can be secured by turning the screw 93.

As'illustrated in Fig. 5, the vertically extending support 80 for the receptacle R is provided near the lower end thereof with apertures through which air can enter. The lower end of conduit |02 which is disposed within the support 00 is. beveled. When the liquid in conduits 90 is lowered to a predetermined extent the level in the conduit formed `in the support 80 is lowered suiliciently'to expose the openings or apertures above described and air enters the conduit |02 and passes upwardly into the receptacle R, permitting the release of liquid therein. The vacuum above the liquid in the receptacle normally prevents the release of the liquid therein.

Fig. 7 illustrates the Yundersurface' of a blank cut from the strip of wrapping material and from this figure it will be noted that the margins of the strip are molstened. as lshown at and |06. It will also be noted that the end |01 of the stripis convex or V-shaped and the end |08 is concave. This is accomplished by the knife construction shown particularly in Figs. 8 ard 9 which forms no part of. the present lnvention.

After the wrapper and article are fed past the slot 11 they passbetween a top plate ||0 and the support A of the wrapper and the wrapper is fed across the upper and lower surfaces of the article. From the support A the article and wrapper pass to the support B. At the entrance of the support B along the two sides thereof are formed tuckers which engage the two laterally projecting advance ends of the wrappers and form tucks I2 therein. Side plates are disposed at the sides of the support B and have formed therein slots ||3, ||4 and ||5 which opcrate in the usual manner to fold the laterally projecting upper and lower portions of the wrapper against the sides of the article. The upper projecting portions are first folded downwardly by the slots H4, the lower projecting ends being guided during this period of the operation through the slots ||3. These portions are then folded upwardly by means of the slots HE. This folding mechanism is old and common and therefore has not been shown in detail.

Fig. 13 shows the article andwrapper at the stage in which the folding slots ||4 have operated to fold the upper ends of the wrapper downwardly and inwardly against the sides ofthe article. The article and wrapper shown in Fig. 13 represent the period in the cycle; of operation at the point Y in Fig. 2. The moistened marginal portions of the wrapper, as shown in Fig. 13, are disposed along the outer lower edge of the downwardly folded portion ||6 of the wrapper and the moistened Imarginal portion of the bottom ||1 of the wrapper is disposed on the i bottom surface thereof, shown in dotted lines in the form assumed after the lower projecting l portions have been folded upwardly` by the slots ||5. The article and wrapper have reached the stage shown in Fig. 14 at the point Z in Fig. 2 or when they.v are about to be discharged from the support B and fed tothe support C.

The article and wrapper are fed along the support B and through the folding mechanism described by means of a plurality of -spacedlugs carried by a chain or endless feeding member |2| mounted on sprockets |22 and |23. The sprocket |22 is carried by the shaft 41 and is driven thereby.

From the showing particularly in Fig. 2 it will be noted that the feeding lugs |20 engage the article and wrapper as the feeding members or rods 30 move out of operation. From the support B the articles and wrappers in the shape shown in Fig. 14 are fed to the support C, the open ends of the wrapper extending rearwardly, as shown at |25 and |26 in Fig. 2. The wrapped articles are fed along the support C by means of spaced lugs or feeding members carried by an endless belt or chain |3| which extends around and is supported on sprockets |32 and |33 and |34 carried respectively by shaftsy |35, |36 and |31. The shafts are mounted on a frame |38. The shaft is driven by a bevel gear connection |40 and |4| from the shaft 44, the gear |4| being mounted on the shaft 44.

It has been found that the operation of the endless feeding member |3| and lugs |30 at high speed causing the lugs to engage against the sides of the article tends to dent in the article and damage the package and for this reason the lugs |30 do not engage and feed the article and wrapper immediately after it has been' deposited on the support3|. They are, however, fed by a reciprocating feeding mechanism illustrated particularly in Fig. 3. In this figure there is shown an arm |50 having an angular head on the front end thereof consisting of an upper plate |5| adapted toengage over the top of the article and a rear plate |52 adapted to engage along the rear side of the article. The arm |50 is reciprocated back and forth on the support C and is so timed as to engage and feed the articles after they have been deposited on the support by the feeding members or lugs |20. At its rear end the arm |50 is pivoted at |53 to the upper end of a lever |54l which is mounted on a fixed pivot |55 and is provided intermediate its ends with a roller |56 disposed in engagement with a cam |51 mounted on the shaft |35. A spring |58 engages the upper surface of the arm |50 and holds the front end of the arm or headin engagement with the table or support C.

From the showing in Fig. 3 it will be seen that as the shaft |35 and cam |51 rotate the lever |54 will be oscillated about its pivot |55 and will reciprocate the arm |50 and the feeding head formed on the front end thereof. A suitable spring, as shown, is provided to press the arm |54 to the left viewing Fig. 3 in order to maintain the roller |56 in engagement with the cam |51. The cam |51 is so kdesigned that the initial movement of the article and wrapper along the support C will be relatively slow, but this movement becomes more rapid as the article is fed and at the limit of the feeding movement |50 the article and wrapper are moving at approximately the speed of movement of the lugs |30.

The support C is provided along one edge thereof with a wall |60 which engages the closed end of the package and is provided along the other edge thereof with a wall |6| having a stationary tucker |62 at the entrance end thereof and having slots |63, |64 and |65 which operate in a manner similar to the slots, ||3, I|4 and ||5 shown in Fig. 2 to fold the projecting ends of the wrapper across the end of the article.

As above stated, the tucker |62 forms a tuck in one edge of the tubular extension or projecting portion of the wrapper and the tuck in the other end is formed by a rotary tucker |66, a plurality of these rotary tuckers being carried by a disk |61 mounted on the shaft |36. y

'Ihe tuckers |62 and |66 are so relatively con'- structed and arranged that the tuckers |66 can pass inside the tuckers |62 in the manner shown in Fig. l.

In order to supply solvent or moistening liquid to the lower end iiap |68 shown in Fig. 15 and to insure the moistening of the end tucks 'a moistening wick |10 is mounted on the support |38 in a conduit |1| which communicates with a receptacle |12. 'I'he outlet end of the wick shown at |13 is so disposed as to engage and wipe one surface of the rotary tucker |66 before the tucker performs its tucking operation. 'I'he solvent is therefore carried upwardly on the tucker |66 and deposited on the end flap |68 and to a lesser extent on the end tucks.

'I'he tuckers |66 also perform an added function in insuring the proper alinement of the upper end flaps |15. These flaps due to their engagement by the lugs |20 are bent downwardly to a slight extent and the rotation of the tuckers |66 bends them upwardly again so that they will enter the folding slots in the proper relation thereto.'

In Vorder to insure the proper sealing of the packages and the evaporation of the solvent material after the contacting surfaces have been sealed heaters are provided at suitable positions, as at |16 and |11, at the discharge end of the support B and at |18 at the discharge end of the support C.

If desired, the moistening means may be so constructed and arranged that the solvent will be applied along the margins of the wrapper sheet or strip intermittently or along portions of the margins only. Fig. 11 illustrates a wrapper having the solvent material or liquid along the longitudinal margins for a portion only of the length thereof. This is accomplished by means of the structure shown in Fig. 10. In this figure the block which corresponds to the block 55 shown in Fig. 4 is pivotally supported on trunnions |8| and has secured thereto an arm |82 which is connected by a link |83 to a lever |84 mounted on a fixed pivot |85. The lever has mounted thereon intermediate its ends a roller |86 which engages a cam |81 mounted on the cutter shaft |88 which corresponds to the shaft 1| shown in Fig. 4. As the cam |81 rotates the lever will be oscillated and will swing the block or oscillate the block |80 about its pivot |8|, to cause the Wicks to intermittently engage the undersuiface of the strip and apply solvent liquid thereto.

In the position shown in Fig. 10 the wicks are disposed in operative position and the portion of the strip between the arrows F andG will be moistened. The portion between the arrows F and J receive no liquid.

Fig. 12 shows the article and wrapper in the position corresponding to Fig. 13 from which it will be seen that the marginal portion |90 of the wrapper has been moistened, whereas the remaining portion has no solvent thereon.

From the foregoing specification it will b'e seen that simple. practice and eiective means have been provided for wrapping articles in material having a surface adapted to be rendered adhesive by the application of a solvent. this machine the solvent is applied easily and quickly to the longitudinal portions of the strip before it is severed and Wrapped around the article and in order to insure the nal sealing of the wrapper solvent is applied to the outer end flap.

Furthermore, the article and Wrapper feeding means have been so constructed and arranged as to render the machine capable of operation at high speeds and to prevent any tendency of the feeding means to dent or injure the packages being wrapped.

Although the invention has been described particularly with reference to Cellophane and By means of Cellophane solvent it is obvious that it could b'e used with other materials and to apply glueor other adhesives to a strip of paper.

Although certain specic embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for wrapping articles in.

wrappers having a surface adapted to be rendered adhesive, means for feeding a strip or sheet of wrapper material, means for applying adhesive liquid to marginal portions of the strip surface, said adhesive applying means comprising a member having a liquid conduit and wicks leading from the conduit to the surface of the member, and means including a groove in the surface of the member, surrounding each Wick and communicating with the conduit for returning excess liquid to the conduit.

2. In a wrapping machine, means for supporting a supply roll of wrapper strip material, means` 

